U.S. Pat. No. 6,618,856 (Coburn), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly cites a “method used with a simulator and a controller, the controller running execution code to provide output signals which, when linked to resources, cause the resources to cycle through requested activities, the simulator receiving controller output signals and, in response thereto, generating motion pictures of resources as the resources cycle through requested activities, the simulator using data structures which model the resources to determine which motion pictures to generate, the method for generating execution code and data structures for use by the controller and the simulator, respectively, and comprising the steps of, for each resource, encapsulating resource information including resource logic in a control assembly (CA), instantiating at least one instance of at least one CA, compiling instantiated CA instance resource logic to generate execution code, gleaning simulation information from the instantiated CA instances and using the gleaned simulation information to generate a simulation data structure for the resources corresponding to the instantiated CA instances.” See Abstract.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20020147505 (Beck), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly cites the “invention relates to a process for programming an automation application program on an automation equipment programming station. It comprises a step to define several structured type objects (1.10, 1.20) each representing an input-output channel of automation equipment, a step to write the application program (10) declaring symbolic input-output variables (100) of the program (10) as an instance of a previously defined structured type object, a step to configure symbolic input-output variables comprising a definition of the physical location of inputs-outputs of the automation equipment, a step (40) to automatically interpret the program to execute it on the automation equipment, comprising a step to replace symbolic variables (100) in the program by the complete topological address (200) of the corresponding input-output information.” See Abstract.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 20030125844 (Foertsch), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly cites a “low-voltage power installation in which elements (1–11) are to be interconnected via an energy distribution system with several sections (12–27) is configured by means of a (partial) specification of the elements (1–11) and the sections (12–27). The (elements (1–11) and the sections (12–27) are specified by access to a catalogue (51) from which predefined (partial) specifications can be selected via an interface (43). The design of the sections (12–27) can be checked, supplemented or corrected according to a dimensioning criterion.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,715 (Krivoshein), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly cites a “configuration system for use in a process control network having a controller, a first device network that communicates using a first input/output protocol, such as a Fieldbus or a HART device protocol, and a Profibus network that communicates using a Profibus input/output communication protocol includes a configuration database that stores configuration information pertaining to the first device network and configuration information pertaining to the Profibus device network, a data access routine that automatically requests configuration information pertaining to the first device network and configuration information pertaining to the Profibus device network and a configurator that configures the Profibus device network based on the Profibus device network configuration information. The configurator stores the Profibus device network configuration information in the configuration database along with configuration information pertaining to the first device network. A documentation routine accesses the configuration database to display a process control documentation schematic illustrating the configuration of the first device network and the Profibus device network within the process control system.” See Abstract.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,556,950 (Schwenke), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety, allegedly cites a “data construct set and method for use with an industrial process which is controlled according to execution code wherein a processor running the code generates requests to mechanical resources to cause the resources to perform the process, the construct enabling generation of diagnostic code interspersed within the execution code which, when an event is to occur, indicates the event to occur, the invention also including status based diagnostics generally and methods of using the data construct set for generating both execution code and status based diagnostics.” See Abstract.